FF6: Sides of the Story, Locke
by Yuffie-Penn
Summary: Terra's decided that before the final battle with Kefka, she wants each of her companions to write down their experience from this journey. This is the first story out of about 13 of them. And my first FF6 fanfic, so R&R! UPDATE: Chapter 2 upload!
1. Wanderlust

I was bored and really wanted to write an FF6 fanfic. And since there are already a lot of good novelization of this great game, I decided to do it from each characters point of view (with the exception of Umaro, because I don't like him that much and he doesn't know how to write) The reason I picked Locke were for three reason. He's my favorite character, thus easiest to write for. Since he's in it for most of the game, his will probably take the longest I noticed that most people in this category are Locke fans, so you're bound to R&R this right? This is my first FF6 fanfic, so please R&R!  
  
And if you hate it, you can throw rotten veggies at me. Ok?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FF6, any of the characters, or any of the towns. All of them are Square's property. Though if I were part of Square, I'd be the giddiest geek in the world.  
  
*****************  
  
i"Terra, what is this?"  
  
"Its a journal. I picked up a bunch of them in Jidoor while we were shopping for supplies." She replied cheerfully.  
  
"Yes, but why am I holding it?" he asked.  
  
"Well I thought it would be a neat idea for each of us to write down our sides of the story. I know that many of us weren't there for parts of it, and since we're heading to Kefka's tower soon and....you know, something might happen and..." Terra found that she could not finish the sentence.  
  
"And some of us might not return from the mission" Locke concluded and Terra simply nodded. He sighed and leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. The last thing he wanted to think about was the fact that some of his friends might not make it. "I'm not so sure about this "our side of the story" idea. I've never been good at telling tales."  
  
"It will be easy! Just describe it how you remember it. And besides, I promise that no one will read it until after the tower. That way we can have a happy ending to it," she said.  
  
"Well I'm not so sure..."  
  
"What? You don't like the color? That's funny, I could of sworn blue was your favorite. I mean you wear so much of it!" she giggled. Locke smiled and shook his head. Blue was indeed his favorite color. "Well you can always have this pink journal if you wish, but I was planning on giving it to Mog. You know, to match his little pom-pom on his head. But I guess he'll have to live with blue." Terra joked.  
  
Locke laughed. "No, no. It's not the color. I like blue, really. Its just, I'm not sure what to write."  
  
"Just remember how it all started, remember your thoughts and feelings. Then go to the next moment, and the moment after that. Don't worry; everyone seems to have the same problem. But they get used to it. Edgar's already filled out his first journal and is asking for another one." She smiled. "I'm sure you'll think of something Locke" With that, she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Locke with the journal and a pen.  
  
He sighed and picked up the pen. "Don't blame me if it's really bad" he said to himself. He opened the journal to the first blank page, and began to write./i  
  
********************  
  
I wish I could say that the reason I joined up was because I felt it was the right thing to do. Or I wish that the fact could be because it was my duty as a Returner. But neither of those are right sadly. The true reason is a lot simpler, and not so noble.  
  
I was bored.  
  
I had been stuck at the Returner's headquarters for about six months. Almost every one of my Returner comrades had been sent off on missions, leaving me behind to sit and stew.  
  
"Please Banon!" I had begged for the third time that week "Let me go on a mission somewhere, anywhere! Hell, I'll even deliver mail! Just give me something to do!"  
  
Banon just sighed and said the same thing he said whenever I asked for that. "Locke Cole, someday you'll learn that patience is indeed a virtue. You'll see that this is all for the best." Then he started attending to some paper filing like the conversation was over.  
  
"I know what patience is dammit!" I was a bit miffed, for he was treating me like some sort of child. "But I have been here for six months now. Just sitting around doing nothing. By god, for the past seven years, I haven't even had the same address for six months at a time!"  
  
"That is pretty unhealthy Locke. Besides, last time I sent you on a mission, you ended up getting outlawed from Doma Castle for stealing a royal treasure!" Banon pointed out to me. I blushed from embarrassment that he still hadn't forgotten that.  
  
"I didn't steal it!" I defended myself.  
  
"Oh really?" He asked in an amused tone.  
  
"I found it on the ground. I thought someone had lost it and I would of given it back if I knew whom it was. Besides, I wasn't outlawed, they just would prefer it if I didn't come for a visit for a while," I stated simply folding my arms across my chest.  
  
"Then how come according to the security report it said that you picked the lock to the treasure room and removed it from its glass case? Doesn't sound like it was on the ground that much." Banon remarked not even looking up from what he was doing. Though the man can seem rather cold hearted at times, he sure knew about his Returners and their whereabouts.  
  
Luckily for I, a messenger of the Returners came in and asked to speak to Banon before I had to come up with a good excuse.  
  
"Sir, I bring news from Narshe!" the man saluted and stood there like some kind of little grader waiting to get a smile and a pat on the head from their pretty teacher. Newbies, I thought, they're always the same. I smirked and leaned against the wall. Banon just nodded and asked for the report.  
  
"Well sir, our agent there, Arvis, has requested for us to send a Returner there for a mission. Apparently someone with a lot of speed. He said it was very important," the messenger reported quickly. I nearly shouted for joy. Banon just had to send me to do this. I mean I was the quickest one available at this time.  
  
"Banon, you should let me go! I could do it!" I told Banon. He just simply looked at me and sighed.  
  
"Why, in my right mind should I let you go on this mission Mr. Cole?"  
  
"Because I'm the fastest one you have. I mean you could send Eric, but knowing him he would get lost and somehow end up in Nikeah. Besides, Figaro is in that area, and I'm friends with the King, so I could probably have him help me out if I needed it," I said.  
  
Banon had a look of giving up on his face. "Fine Locke. You can go. But take a chocobo and NO getting yourself arrested."  
  
"I'll try my best!" I shouted over my shoulder as I ran out of the room. I was so excited that I almost skipped to the chocobo stables. And yes I know, it's not very mature to be that giddy for such an important mission. But you try being stuck in one place for six months straight without anything to do.  
  
I quickly grabbed some supplies (you know the basic stuff, like some potions and a few rations, nothing much) and jumped onto the best chocobo there. It was a bit irritated that I did not bring it any treats but started off anyway.  
  
Nothing really happened on my trip to Narshe. Mainly I was just glad to be away from that little valley that the hideout was in. If the mission hadn't been so urgent, I'd probably would have taken the longest route possible. That way I could stay away from returning to the hideout as long as possible.  
  
Little did I know at the time that my "wander lust" as my grandmother used to put it, would end up having me wish for the boring time at the hideout.  
  
When I reached Narshe, I have to say that the place was full of chaos. Wives were running around, looking to see if their husbands or sons in the Narshe guard had come back alive. The men and soldiers, well they were all huddle around something, discussing something hushed voices. The chaos disturbed the chocobo so much, that as soon as I got off of it, it ran the other way.  
  
"Oh. Perfect." I muttered to myself. I hadn't even started this mission and I had already lost the chocobo.  
  
I decided that before I would head to Arvis's home, I would find out what was going on. I went up to a group of men talking around something. Most of them were talking about a girl in magitek armor. Some of them though were talking about identifying someone. I assumed for a moment that they meant the girl. But then I looked down.  
  
At my feet was a body that looked like he had been burn alive, from inside out. It had a look of pure horror on their face, or what was left of their face, which wasn't very much.  
  
"Holy Shit, what the hell happened?" I asked the guy right next to me. The smell of burnt skin was stating to make me ill.  
  
"Empire attack. They had a girl with them that seemed to be able to burn people alive. And the magitek armor, well, lets just say this man isn't the only corpse looking like this," the man said sadly.  
  
This must be why Arvis wanted to see a Returner, I thought to myself.  
  
"Also it seems that the girl escaped. People say that they saw her run into the mines. Of course guards were sent in to investigate," the man continued. "Hopefully they'll find her and make her pay for what she did."  
  
I just nodded sadly, too disgusted by the sight to really hear what the man had to say. But who ever this girl is, she had to be a really heartless and cruel bitch.  
  
Footnote: And Terra, if you do read this, I don't mean that you're heartless and cruel. I didn't even know you back then, so lets just say I was very wrong.  
  
Suddenly I remembered that I was supposed to be at Arvis's house. Problem was, I didn't remember where that was. So I asked the man next to me.  
  
"Arvis? Oh, he's right over there" he pointed at a house up some stairs "Bit of a weird fellow. Rumors say that he's some sort of rebel against the Empire."  
  
"Thank you very much" I told the man and walked towards the direction he pointed. Hopefully the man had reliable information. If not, well I had his wallet so that makes up for it.  
  
As I walked up the steps, I realized how cold it was in Narshe. It seemed that no matter what time of the year it was, this place was always freezing cold. I wished that I had remembered to bring a decent jacket, instead of my thin denim jacket that I always wore. Oh well, I thought, lets just hope this "rebel" believes in heating.  
  
I knocked on the door, and an older man immediately answered it. He wore a teal tunic that looked like it was made out of wool, and some brown pants.  
  
"Took you long enough!" He said after a moment of examining me. I looked behind him to see that there was a fireplace.  
  
"Sorry, but could you move? Its damn cold out here." I replied. I know it wasn't the most gracious thing to say, but hell, it was freezing. He stepped out the way glaring at me.  
  
"You know, you should really watch your language kid. Didn't your mother ever wash your mouth out with soap?" he questioned. I walked towards the fireplace and started to warm myself up.  
  
"No, but she probably would have if she lived long enough to hear me speak," I told him. He suddenly looked sad and guilty, like most people do whenever I mentioned the fact that I didn't remember my parents.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't know." he quickly said. Then I guess he saw the man's wallet whom I stole hanging out of my pocket because then he said "How goes the robbing and the plundering?"  
  
My blood nearly boiled. There is nothing like being accused for thievery. Especially from a man who barely knew me. "I PREFER the term treasure hunting!" I growled. The old man just laughed.  
  
"Ha! Semantic nonsense!" I narrowed my eyes. I mean, come on. Like he never used different terms before. I bet the guy likes to use the excuse "Its not aging, its just experience" when people comment on his white hairs.  
  
"There's a HUGE difference!" I remarked wagging my index finger at him. And I have to admit, if he wasn't my elder and the reason I was out of the Returner's hideaway, I probably would have used a different finger. But I decided to change the subject to the reason why I came. "Anyway, were you the one who sent for me?"  
  
Arvis nodded. "Yeah. There's a girl I'd like you to meet."  
  
I just stared at him in shock. The last thing I wanted to have is to be hooked up with some girl. Ever since Rachel, my priority to date was less than zero. I guess the old man saw that, so he quickly shook his head to show that it wasn't that kind of thing. I was about to breath a sigh of relief, but then I realize what the other possibility was.  
  
"This better not have anything to do with that Magitek-riding, imperial," I quickly thought of a different word to say instead of the one I was intending "...witch!!!"  
  
Arvis looked sad and nodded. I could barely believe what he was thinking. Did he not see the hideous corpse outside? I had half the mind to walk out of the house right then, and probably would of if he didn't say what was coming next.  
  
"Imperial troops are pursuing her even as we speak. This town is no match for the Empire," he said. I bit my lip, wondering why imperial troops would try to track her down if she was one of them. Couldn't she find her own way back to them?  
  
"Our independence can only be assured if we join forces with the Returners..." I shook my head sadly at these words.  
  
"Narshe join up with the underground resistance movement? Arvis, even after the attack tonight, I find that highly unlikely." I interrupted him. I've found that towns over the years rarely join the Returners after an attack. They just become more afraid, like Kohlingen....  
  
Arvis suddenly brought me back to reality by speaking again "That isn't the main issue here! That girl wasn't responsible for her actions. We must get her to understand our dilemma!" Not responsible? How? Did they threaten her family to do it? Or her life? Or something worse...  
  
The old man at that moment removed a crown like object from the mantle. "This is called a slave crown. It removes any free will or conscious thought from a person...it was made in the Empire's technology department..." his voice trailed off.  
  
I just stared at it. Ever since I was a teenager, I've heard a lot of the horrible things that the Empire did, but nothing like this. To rob a person of his or her own free will...he just shuddered to think of that.  
  
"All right...I think we'd better help her..." was all I could say. Too many thoughts were spinning into my head at once. I mean one moment this girl was a horrible murderer for the Empire, the next she was an innocent victim that got taken advantage on. Which one to believe, I wasn't entirely sure. All I knew was that I had to meet this girl, to find out the truth of it all.  
  
"Agreed." Arvis nodded. "Make your way first to Figaro, and talk to the king," he concluded. I nodded, it would be ludicrous to go anywhere without the aid of Figaro if the Empire was hunting down this girl. Besides, King Edgar was one of my best friends, how rude it would be to go through his kingdom without a visit?  
  
"You can count on me!" I assured Arvis and ran out the back door. I bolted across the bridge that connected the house to the mines, despite how freezing it was. Time was of the essence. Because for every minute that this girl was in the mines and alone, was a minute closer to the Imperial Guard finding her.  
  
Or the Narshe Guard, the thought suddenly popped into my head. They would defiantly be looking for her. No way there would let the girl pass off for murder, especially one like that guard member got. It wouldn't matter if she had a slave crown or not to them.  
  
As I entered the mines, the first thing I noticed that although the wind was gone, the mines were still just as cold. The second thing I noticed that someone must have been through here, since one of the treasure chests was open. As much as I was tempted to stop and see if there were any others, I had to hurry onward.  
  
Soon, just as I thought that I would be running around these mines all night, I saw a big gaping hole right in the middle of the floor. It looked pretty new; so I bent down to investigate. Sure enough, there was a girl with green hair and a red dress lying there among a pile of rocks. I figured this had to be her, since there aren't too many girls in red dresses running around mines late at night.  
  
I climbed down using a rope that I carried in my bag. I landed right next to her and the first thing I did (well other than quickly looking around for possible treasure, you know, out of habit) was check to see if she was still alive.  
  
It was probably right then, when I saw the face of this mysterious girl, that I realized without a doubt that she was innocent. The girl had a face of a child, not like she was late bloomer or anything, but that she was pure and innocent. She looked like the kind of girl that would never try to hurt anyone, even if it meant she had to suffer for it.  
  
And sadly, its seems like its the innocent ones like her that had to suffer the most in this cruel world.  
  
She was clearly unconscious, but still alive. I could her shallow, child like breathing without even trying very hard. I took that as a good sign. I was about to pick her up and carry her out of this dark and cold cavern, when suddenly a bright light came on from a lantern and shined in my face.  
  
"Ah ha! Now we gotcha!" One of the Narshe guard cried out.  
  
"Oh shit."  
  
*****************  
  
ILocke paused for a moment and looked back at what he wrote down. He was pretty amazed that he was able to write more than a page, and only about a couple events too.  
  
"Maybe Terra was right after all," he said to himself, stretching his arms. "Maybe all you have to do is take it moment by moment."  
  
Suddenly he heard one of his companions call out his name from outside the room. It probably meant that they found some place worth exploring. So he shut the journal, put it on the table, got up and went to join his friends./I 


	2. The girl of mystery, Terra

[I]"Whatcha doing?" Relm sat down next to Locke, who had once again resumed to writing in the journal that Terra gave him.  
  
"Trying to remember Narshe," he simply stated.  
  
Relm nodded. "Oh I see. It's that whole journal thing that Terra gave everyone. Pretty creative idea if I may say so myself." She leaned back against the chair and put her feet up on to the couch and grinned.  
  
"So I'm not the only one doing it then. Figured since no one mentioned it that I was the only one that actually got a journal. So how far are you in it?"  
  
She tilted her head. "Why Locke Cole, I thought these things were suppose to be private until after we all don't die in Kefka's Tower of Annoyance," she laughed and held a completely white journal. "Guess you'll have to survive the place to find out if I said anything good about you."  
  
"Oh. I don't think I can wait that long," Locke said blandly and winked. "So why do you have a white journal? Is it your favorite color or something? Because that's pretty dull."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Jeez Locke, unoriginal much? I picked the white journal for one simple reason. It's completely blank, so I can paint whatever I want on it. That way it seems more like mine. Besides, what's so great about a single colored book?" She shrugged and jumped off the couch.  
  
"That's true, that does seem very much like you then," Locke responded. Relm got up and started to leave the room.  
  
"I'm going to go see what trouble the old man is getting himself into. Sometimes that guy seems totally helpless without me. Seeya later Locke! Good luck remembering Narshe!" She said as she walked out of the room.  
  
Locke chuckled to himself. Relm was quite a character, always blunt and had a feisty attitude. More than once she had reminded him of how he was when he was that age.  
  
With that, he picked up the pen once more and continued to write.[/I]  
  
*******************  
  
"Hand over the girl and you won't get hurt!" A Narshe guard yelled.  
  
"Wonderful...There's a whole bunch of 'em..." I said to myself once I was able to see them all. There were at least ten of them that I could see at the time, and also some Lobo monsters to aide them. Ten Narshe guards and some Lobo monsters against me, and a girl that was completely knocked out. And no way to run either, since I barely knew the mines and carrying the girl was a lot of extra weight to run with.  
  
Its times like these you can either two things. You can try your microscopic luck and hope that you kill more of them so they run away before you some corpse. Or, you pray really hard to whatever God there is for a miracle.  
  
And since it seemed that whatever God there was had a huge grudge against me, I decided to take my chances with the microscopic luck. So I set Terra down against the wall and pull out my dagger.  
  
"Sorry guys, but if you want her, you'll have to kill me first," I said very heroically. I bet it would of sounded really neat. That is, if all the Narshe guard hadn't pulled out their long swords that looked very sharp.  
  
It was then, despite my treasure hunter screaming to run or hide while my instincts told me to protect the girl; I heard the strangest noise from behind me.  
  
"Kupo..."  
  
I suddenly turned around to see almost a dozen moogles climbing out of a small hole in the cavern. Each of them seemed to be carrying different weapons, all ready for battle. The one that was holding a giant spear, and seemed to be the leader of the group, walked up to me and said.  
  
"Kupo!" as he winked and pointed at the guards.  
  
"Are you saying you want to help me?"  
  
"Kupo!!!" the main moogle said and nodded. I breathed a sigh of relief. This was defiantly some great luck. Now I was sure that we had a chance of beating back the guards. The main moogle started giving orders to the other moogles. They got into two groups of four and three of them stood by me.  
  
"Alright." I nodded. "Lets go."  
  
All the moogle stayed to their groups but charged at the enemy. It took a couple of them to take out one Lobo monster, but the main moogle moved so fast and was pretty strong that soon he was nearly surrounded by bodies of guards and Lobos. As for myself, I mainly fought off the guards with my dagger. While they had their huge swords, they were no match it seems to my speed and dexterity.  
  
After the moogles and I depleted their forces, the guards (no Lobos were left standing) decided that it would be a wise move to retreat, leaving this battle to a close. I once again put my dagger away and turned to the moogles.  
  
"Thanks, Moogles!" I exclaimed, "We're in your debt!" The main moogle simply nodded, winked and they all disappeared into the hole in which they came from. So I picked up Terra and started heading the way that looked like it led to an exit. Soon I came upon a dead end. I felt a bit discouraged until I remembered a conversation I over heard once in jail (ownership disagreement, nothing severe), saying about how there is a switch in the Narshe mines that will open a secret door in and out of it.  
  
I looked around the wall for it, and then I found a rock that was defiantly out of place.  
  
"I think this switch'll..." I muttered and then touched the rock. Sure enough, a door opened up. I grinned to myself, very pleased. Though my moment of self-pride was interrupted by the awakening of Terra, who gave a soft moaning sound.  
  
"Eh? You back with us now?" I asked her. She simply sat up groggily and looked at me.  
  
"You...saved me?" she questioned. She stared at me, still a bit dazed. "Thank you..."  
  
I interrupted her. "Save your thanks for the moogles. Without them, we'd both be dead. So what are you doing around here?" She looked around confused, as if she thought some moogles were still there. But then she cried out.  
  
"I don't know! Uhh...I can't remember anything...past or present!"  
  
"You have amnesia?!" I asked staring at her in disbelief. A whole bunch of horrible memories came flashing into my mind. Memories that tried very hard to not think about. It was like Rachel all over again...  
  
Snap out of it Locke, I thought. She's not Rachel, you barely know her. But she needs your help. Now are you going to help her or just stand there until the Imperial guards finds you two?  
  
Terra, during all of this, sadly nodded. "A man said my memory would come back...eventually."  
  
I nodded and knew what I had to do. "Give it time. You're safe with me! I give you my word!" I said to her. She just stared at me confused. "I won't leave you until your memory returns!! I promise..."  
  
She nodded but still looked worried. Then she looked up at me with her big emerald eyes. "I'm Terra. Terra...well I don't remember my last name." she sighed and looked down again.  
  
"Nice to meet you Terra. I'm Locke Cole, the treasure hunter!" I smiled at her. "Now we better start heading to Figaro, before the empire arrives..."  
  
She looked confused again. "Empire? They mentioned something about the empire earlier. The guards I mean. I think that's why they wanted me. But why would the Empire want me?"  
  
I didn't quite know how to answer this. It would not be easy to tell a girl that has no memory that she slaughtered several people under the Empire's control. So I decided to that lying might of been the best option for that moment.  
  
"I'm not entirely sure Terra. The empire has always been up to evil things like kidnapping and such. But don't worry, I'll protect you!" I said with confidence and smiled at her. She tried to smile back, but I could tell that she wasn't so sure. "Come on, lets get out of this place. Its way too cold for my liking anyway."  
  
Terra simply nodded as she followed me out the door. After she was out of the way, I looked for another different colored rock along the wall. I found it, and then pressed it like I did with the other one. Sure enough, the door shut, and it looked like it was never there unless you were actually looking for it.  
  
I thought a moment then turned to her. "By the way, this secret entrance might be useful some day. Don't forget about it!" I winked at her. She simply looked confused then suddenly asked me.  
  
"Where are you taking me anyway?"  
  
"Well my orders are to bring you to Figaro Castle. I'm sure the king will be very interested in your well being," I paused. Knowing Edgar for a long time now, it was probably safe to assume that her well being wouldn't be the only thing he was interested in. "Um, how old are you if you remember at all?"  
  
She looked down at the ground with a confused look once more. She stayed silent for a long time. I was about to tell her that it didn't matter and to just forget it when she looked up and said, "I'm eighteen."  
  
Oh great, I thought. Edgar will be trying to charm her the entire time. I mean I wasn't attracted to her or anything, but it was hard to deny that this girl was pretty. And with the whole mysterious past thing, well I wouldn't be surprised if Edgar drooled a little when he met her. "Well, just don't give the king too much attention ok?" I said to her.  
  
She just looked puzzled once more. So I sighed and took her out of Narshe. It got incredibly warmer once we got away from the mountains. I tried to make small talk with Terra, but I gave up once I realized that she couldn't do much small talking when she had no memory of anything to talk about.  
  
After awhile of walking, I suddenly felt like I wanted to rest for the night. All my joints ached from all the events of the day and all I wanted to do was sleep. I noticed that my companion, also, was walking more slowly and had a tired look in her eye.  
  
"Hey, how about we camp here for tonight?" I asked her. It was a nice little groove of trees with a small creek nearby. A perfect place to camp for a night. "We're both exhausted and I'm sure most of the people of Figaro are asleep anyway."  
  
"What about the Empire and the Narshe Guards?" She asked worriedly. I grinned at her.  
  
"I'm sure that the Empire and the Narshe guard have to sleep too. Besides, the empire forces are a long ways away I'm betting and probably would not reach us by tomorrow morning," I told her. "And I don't want us crossing the Figaro desert if you don't get any rest. It would be way to risky too."  
  
"Alright. I'm too tired to walk any farther," Terra stated as she yawned. I pulled out my bag and pulled out a sleeping bag. She just looked at me once more and it came to me that she didn't have any supplies. She probably didn't have any time to grab some from Arvis's house.  
  
"Here, take the sleeping bag." I handed her the sleeping bag.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Sure, I'm used to sleeping on the ground. Its like second nature to me," I grinned and laid against a tree trunk. She shrugged and set down the sleeping bag. Terra crawled into it and made herself comfortable. Then she turned to me.  
  
"Locke?" She said.  
  
"hmm?"  
  
"Thank you, you know. For everything," Terra said, and for the first time that I've ever seen it, she actually grinned.  
  
"It was my pleasure Terra. Now get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow," I informed her. She nodded and shut her eyes. About two minutes later, it seemed that she was once again asleep. The kid must have been really tired, I thought to myself.  
  
As for myself, I just sat there staring at the stars. I couldn't believe that this day had started out with me begging for excitement. Well my wish had come true, and I didn't know whether I was glad it did or was sad that it did. I thought about all this stuff long into the night, until I drifted off into old nightmares and memories, like I did almost every night... 


End file.
